1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for context-aware computing, and more particularly for context-aware computer management using a smart badge.
2. Discussion of Background Art
Context-aware computing is a field of computer science where computers are provided with sensors for detecting their orientation with respect to persons, places or things. Smart identification badges are an example of context-aware computing devices which contain an array of mini-sensors and wireless technologies for gathering information on their environment and communicating with other computers in order to provide such services as unlocking doors, and selective access to sensitive database information within various secure environments.
The mini-sensors can use a variety of biometric and standard technologies to monitor environmental conditions such as light, humidity, temperature, and sound levels, as well as spatial motions, voice patterns, and perhaps pheromones. Software programs then process this sensor information to conclude such things as who is wearing a smart badge and for how long. Researchers in the area of context-aware computing include Dr. Mark Smith at Hewlett-Packard Labs in Palo Alto and Gerald Maguire, professor of data communications at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology.
Dr. Smith, for example, has developed a badge size SecurePAD which an employee picks up each morning, registers and authenticates in a secure booth, and carries on their person while at work. The badge communicates with beacons distributed throughout an office environment which respond to the badge by selectively opening doors and providing predetermined sets of information and functionality on secure computer systems. At the end of the day the badge is selectively inactivated. Presideo Inc., of Sebastian, Fla. also manufactures similar security systems as described on their web site at http://www.presideo.com.
FIG. 1 is a dataflow diagram of a prior art system 100 for interfacing with smart identification badges. In the system 100 credentials for several wearers are authenticated and downloaded into their respective smart badges 102, 104, 106, and 108. A computer 110 connected to a narrow infrared (IR) beacon 112 selectively communicates with the badges 102-108. The beacon 112 by design has a short distance and narrow visibility range so that only one smart badge worn by an employee sitting right in front of the computer 110 is visible to the beacon 112 at any one time. The prior art considers this narrow range of visibility as a way to increase the system's 100 overall security.
A system service module 114 within the computer 110 communicates 111 with the smart badges through the beacon 112. When a first one 104 of the smart badges 102-108 becomes visible to the beacon 112, the service 114 queries the badge 104 for a set of credentials and, if the credentials are authentic, instructs the computer 110, perhaps using Microsoft Corporation's Graphical Identification and Authentication (GINA) 116 and OS Logon 118 modules, to log the employee carrying the badge 104 on to the computer 110. If the badge 104 is no longer visible to the beacon 112, the service 114 the GINA 116 to lock the computer 110 and blank the computer display even though the employee remains logged on. Then, should the badge 104 become visible again, the service 114 instructs the GINA 116 to unlock the computer 110 and reactivate the computer display. If a second smart badge 106 becomes visible 120 to the computer 110, during a time when the first badge 104 is invisible to the beacon 112, the system service 114 instructs the GINA 116 to log-off the employee assigned to the first badge 104, and log-on the employee assigned to the second badge 106.
The system 100 is limited to allowing only one wearer to be logged on at any one time and requires that such wearer sit right in front of the computer 110 before unlocking the computer and display. Database security is thus achieved by logging only one wearer on a time. The wearer then runs a software application to access data in the database. The GINA's 116 role in controlling access to the database is by controlling which wearer logs on to the computer 110. In many operational settings, however, such an implementation is awkward to use. Furthermore, the prior art system 100 does not even begin to exploit the smart badge's 102-108 full capabilities for providing contextual information to the computer 110.
What is needed is a system and method for context-aware computer management using a smart badge that overcomes the problems of the prior art.